Here's to the stragglers!
 

Okay. If I have to send off one more FIRSTer onto a bus, train, plane, or whatever......

....you guessed it. Its the thread for all the people not going to Nationals! :D

Wednesday's always the worst, eh? You send everyone and their mother off to competition, and there's no webcast, not even practice rounds....and no one is posting on Delphi because no one has access while traveling....so you just have to assume that all is well.

You're worrying that they all get there allright, and you're jealous because you know that traveling with a bunch of FIRSTers is one of the best ways to travel...

Give a yell here if you're going to be around. Maybe we can get a chat room going or something later on.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Jessica i am here, well i am going to nationals we have already conquered half our trip we went from ft. Lauderdale to Gainsville which is about 5 hours out of about a 8-10 hour drive. We stayed at a teammates sister apartment that goes to UF, we are planning to head out in about a hour to atlanta. So i am still her on CD

CD is my home away from home.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Yes it's very depressing. I'm at home on co-op. I wish I took a week off so I could go down to Atlanta, but unfortunately my team didn't qualify.
After getting more directly involved with checking into the hotel in Annapolis, I'm sort of glad we aren't going..... ehh, no I'm not.
I didn't get to go last year because the competition was right during finals at my school. Next year I really hope I can get down to Atlanta.
On the bright side, at least my familly has Direct TV and I can watch Saturdays events on NASA tv.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

What's even worse is that I really can't watch most of Nationals, either...because I'll have Sigma stuff to do starting at 10am on Saturday, of which I won't get back until the evening.

And unfortunately, it's stuff where I can't be called to be updated...so no multiple text messages from Brandon :p

"Brandon.....2 v (something) and 1 v 8? I dont care about pairings if I don't know the teams in them!" - Me

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

I'm still here :( Sad as anything that I'm broke and can't afford nationals...

Oh the pains of being a broke college student!

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

I did notice a substantial lack of of people logged in this morning.

Some of us who are leaving are stuck in work a few more hours. At least you're in school still.

Our students are on the way to the airport already and the mentors are taking a later flight because we couldn't all get on one flight.

So those left behind please do what the mentors going to ATL won't for the next few days. Get some sleep!

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Are you sure NASA tv is broadcasting. There has been rumors that they are not covering the Nationals this year. They are web broadcasting and i think thats it

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

http://robotics.nasa.gov/first/2004/regionals.htm for the webcast/NASA-tv thingy.

And if you're going to Nationals at all, you're not a straggler......I just am jealous of you.....a lot :p

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

I won't be in Atlanta, either. I just wished Steve Taylor of GRT (192) and Ken Leung safe trips a little earlier this morning. I'm going to try to watch the webcasts.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

I'll be really mad if NASA tv doesn't broadcast Saturday. We do have cable internet access making the webcasts not horrible, but it's not the same.
I mean seriously, Saturdays competition will be the most exciting thing NASA showed on television since NASA broadcasted live from the moon. The Mars rovers, which make great science, and the photography is amazing; I just don't think it's fun to watch live (sorry, Spirit and Oppurtunity, I wouldn't expect your own mini-series on CBS anytime soon either).


PS: Same goes for the recent NASA X43-A jet. I just wasn't on the seat of my chair like when I watch 5 year old FIRST videos.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

i'll be in atlanta but i am flying out around 6:00 tonight so you still have a few hrs to embrace me before i get going :D

you know jessica i could always wear a sticker that says "Jessica Boucher says hi" to the web hug......assuming i make it this year

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Haha, if you want...but I still hate you for being able to go at all...AND that you get to ref! :p

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Alright, after holding my breath and counting down from 10, I have found out the answer: NASA TV IS BROADCASTING LIVE FROM ATLANTA!!!

9 a.m. - 2:50 p.m. - "FIRST" Nationals Robotic Competition from Atlanta, Ga. - AMES (HQ) Schedule

Personal note: DirectTV channel 376

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Don't worry guys. NASA has announced that they will be broadcasting the Championship. They had said that they wouldn't, but I guess Dr. Bot did his usual fantastic job showing them the error of their ways.

I'll be leaving tonight with Team SPAM on an 8 o'clock overnight charter bus. Woohoo, 10 hours of no sleep and cramped seats. It's always worth it, though.

There is supposed be a Wi-Fi (what does that mean?) connection at the Dome, so I'm sure there will be CD posts during the competition.

Jessica, maybe you can find someone to record the NASA TV feed and watch it Saturday night. A big bowl of popcorn and FIRST. It doesn't get much better than that.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Nasa TV is also on channel 213 on Dish. :ahh:

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Oooh. Good idea.

Mike? Wanna make a trade off at one of the T stops? :D I'll reimburse you for the tape.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

:ahh: Boston.... I'm in Connecticut right now. But on Saturday I have to be in Boston for a date :ahh: I'm not going to be able to watch it live :( Stupid girls :rolleyes:

Unfortunately Jessica, I think I'll have to tape Saturday because I'll be unavaliabe as well. I'd be willing to mail you a tape though if you PM me an address.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Bah, silly CT :) Probably by the time the tape would get to me, the archive would be up. Thanks anyway!!

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

You and me both bud =)

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

You can bet I'll be around here. :)

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Ooh, ooh me too!

IRI is my 'nationals' this year. ;)

Jess, we should get a chat going later -- we'll show everyone in Atlanta how much fun we can have without them! :p :yikes:

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Yeah, definately start one sometime. I'd love to join. I've always known I was missing out on a certain aspect of FIRST- the FIRST internet chatrooms. Five years and I've never been in one :o

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

... or somebody like that ... :)

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Now that it is Wed. I have finally accepted the fact I am not going to atlanta. I was a real heartbreaker not qualifying. Those 3 tickets to Atlanta team 25 offered were incredibly tempting. Count me in on the "FIRSTers left behind" chat. ;)

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Oops. Sorry Dave. I left you out on that. I will formally apolgize in person if I see you in Atlanta. I'll be the short guy with the SPAM hat and no voice (long story).

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

I think I had the same epiphany when our robot seeded 49th at BAE. I'm still debating on whether I should hop in the car and drive there. See ya in the chat :)

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Bleh...

I'm going to be here on and off, and I'll do my best to try to contribute something interesting to CD while everyone else is gone.

I've still got homework from our trip to the Palmetto Regional that I haven't made up yet, though... :(

I'll be working on that, but I'll post when I can.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Well i just ot to Atlanta cant wait for the competiton i will be on CD and aim while at comp so if you want to im me or something go ahead sirminnyme

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

BAHHHHHHH I WANT TO GO :mad: :mad:

eh oh well :rolleyes:

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

We were having this dicussion several weeks ago to prove how geeky I am. (Ask Venkatesh). I was saying that when NASA sent Pathfinder and Sojourner to Mars, I remember sitting in front of my TV, glued to the screen watching CNN's broadcast. That was in the summer of 1997. Meaning I was 10 years old, sitting inside on a gorgeous summer day drooling over robots. :o Foreshadowing??

Point being: I disagree. (obviously :) ) Well, about the rover broadcasts being boring. I definitely do want to see some of nationals though.

So yes, I will be stuck here in rainy NJ.

On the plus side, I just got back from college-searching in Boston and found that my amazon.com order got here while I was away. So now I have Building Robot Drive Trains to distract me from
a)being here and not there
b)studying for SATs and
c)studying for APs

And you know, school in general.

At least it's nice knowing I'm not alone, right?

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

I'm still here too. I'll be on from time to time.

Oh, and Jess, I set Elgin's laptop up with one of the wireless cards from one of my laptops yesterday. If he's able to locate a network down there he'll be on at times. I don't know if there's any wireless network capabilities at Nats but I set him up just in case. :)

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Hmmm..definetly wish our team would be going to nationals..but that would definetly not be happening. Anyways, count me in anything exciting that happens around here. We'll make them regreat going to nationals ;) ....no..I don't think that would be possible.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

I know I don't have Nasa TV on my cable in the dorms. So for all that don't have Nasa TV and would rather watch that than the division webcasts, Nasa TV is also webcast 24 hours a day.

Here the link Nasa TV

I don't know what the difference is going to be, but just in case.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Thank you for that link. Those of us with 5 channels can appreciate the webcasts :D .

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Yes, Jess, get that chatroom going. Due to...unforseen events...I'm not attending nationals this year.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

I'm holding down the fort since there's really no useful reason for me to be at competition this season.

I'll use the money saved for something just as fun and probably corral some FIRST people into joining me (*cough* Jim and Bill *cough*)

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

We're going to have a blast :D

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Word, homes.

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Wednesday was a little depressing for me. I was snapping at my co-workers all day and drowning my sorrow with Diet Cokes.
Two teams I mentored this year qualified for the Nats but are not going. Maybe next year. Thursday is going to be tougher. :(

But can't wait for Friday! Thanks NASA Webcast & NASA-TV. :)

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Call me cynical and a poor sport, but this would be much easier to take if remote internet access wasn't around. With the hotels giving free internet access a ton of CD users are still able to post, telling about how much fun they're having. I want fun too :(

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

I'm probably one of the last to leave--

Sitting here at Bradley Airport outside of Hartford, CT-- taking the "cheap" way to fly down-- next stop is cleveland, then to atlanta. On the way home i fly through Minnesota -- go figure :)

Hopefully Atlanta is nice and warm... see ya'll when its over!

Tom

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

I'm here, its Thursday and theres still radio silence, no webcast, no videos....ahh! someone inform me..... :D

Whats everyone else up to?

-Pat

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Yeah, new rule. No content is allowed on ChiefDelphi about nationals. Period. :(

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

The only one who was able to go from our team was our Advisor Dave Kelso (Woodie Flowers award nominee!). He wanted to bring us so bad but we didn’t qualify and don’t have the cash to go down.

If anyone talks to him let him know that CHAOS says "HI, and GOOD LUCK!"

Re: Here's to the stragglers!
 

Trust me. She is most geeky. Carrying around a "How to Build Robot Drivetrains" book. And reading it in short breaks between wiring up rather complicated circuits involving seven segment displays and combinational logic.